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For children, Puglia is a playground of cone-topped trulli, ear-shaped pasta, rainbow-coloured gelato, and cloak-and-dagger caverns. Edged by three seas and some 500 miles of coastline, it’s perfect for pirates and mermaids, for sand-castling, snorkelling, or ‘simply messing around in boats’. Along with amusement parks, water parks, dinosaur parks and a zoo-safari, Puglia offers dolphin and turtle-spotting cruises, marine conservation projects for families, and coastal wetlands with hideouts for spying wildlife. After a game of Ali Baba in the magical grottoes of Castellana, you can slumber in hobbit-hole trulli, Flintstone caves, or a fairytale citadel.

This magical, make-believe take on a traditional Puglian village is the stuff of fairytales. Once a fortnight, the central piazza is the stage for traditional Puglian festivals – a riot of live cooking stations, dancing, storytellers, artisans and entertainers. There’s a wide choice of food and accommodation, a crèche, fun kids' and teens' clubs, and activities for all the family, from cycling, boating and boarding to surfing or snorkelling at the private beach. Mia Cucina is the place for a family-style supper or a wood-oven pizza, and children will love Da Frisella, complete with dinky furniture in red, pink and blue. Read expert reviewFrom£302

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This family-friendly masseria, a 15-minute bike ride to the Adriatic and the hotel’s two private beach clubs, offers the best in Puglian hospitality and cuisine to create an unpretentious home-from-home. There’s not much you can’t do here, with a packed programme of activities ranging from private yoga lessons on a rooftop terrace to horse riding. Many of the resort’s best activities and events revolve around eating and drinking, and children are made to feel really special with activities including pizza-making classes, both at the masseria and the two beach clubs. Read expert reviewFrom£213

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This 15th-century fortified farmhouse set amid twisting olive groves is the wise old grandfather of the ‘borgo’ (fortified village) family in this area of Puglia. The owner, Alessandro Amati, is a former actor who occasionally invites local troupes and mime artists to perform in the courtyard. There's a pleasant, gently shelving swimming pool (manned by a lifeguard), a small spa, and beach volleyball court. The 19 bedrooms (13 family rooms and six doubles) are large, comfortable and inherently characterful; some have a private balcony and two have kitchenettes. Dinner and breakfasts are buffets with hearty and often homegrown fare.Read expert reviewFrom£162

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Staying at Masseria le Carrube, once a frantoio (olive oil production mill), is much like staying with friends. There is a feeling of space throughout the hotel and an array of seating areas to relax both inside and outside. Bicycles are available to explore the surrounding groves, and the two swimming pools are the key feature of the hotel – both suitable for children. The masseria only has 19 rooms, many with large balconies and terraces overlooking the olive groves, some with views to the Adriatic. Cots and infant beds are available on request in all rooms. A babysitting service is also available to book.Read expert reviewFrom£128

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The moment you step inside this noble 16th-century masseria you’ll receive a warm welcome from the owners whose hands-on presence adds a homely atmosphere to the place. Facilities include a vast lagoon-like pool (deliciously cooling in Summer heat; bracing in the shoulder seasons) and once a week the masseria offers cooking classes, free for guests. Staff can suggest local itineraries and tours (mountain bikes are available), as well as olive oil tastings in one of the most ancient olive groves in the world. The Junior Suites in the trulli, which sleep up to four, are a feast of sinuous stone vaults, arches and alcoves, all with their own terrace or garden area. Read expert reviewFrom£131

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The Savoia dates back to the early 19th century, though the look is distinctly medieval, with its great tufa walls and worn flagstone floors. The curvaceous pool, prettily floodlit in the evenings, is the main draw in Puglia’s hot and lazy summers (and popular with children). The grounds feature pleasant terraces, gardens and a football pitch-cum-playground. You can rent bikes to explore the local area, which is flat enough to make cycling easy and there’s a beach nearby. There’s a monastic quality to the bedrooms, with their white stucco walls, cool stone arches and pale tiled floors, and the family rooms have new, Ikea-type fittings with sofa beds. Babysitting services are also available.Read expert reviewFrom£72

Contributions by Hayley Lewis, James Palmer & Clare Speak

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